Not a fool….. this time chapter 3
The sleeping during the flight was a good thing. Getting into Paris CDG was easy- getting out, not so much. Once in a cab and on the way to Simone's apartment they could catch their breath and relax. Once there, they deposited their stuff and she called the office to find everything still in an uproar.
"Shall we head over and let me see what is going on, what I have to deal with?" Walter said. "Then I can see how soon things can be cleared and my security downloaded."
Simone called a cab, Walter took his laptop case with the computer and his program hard drive and they were off to Interpol, Paris sector.
Arriving at the offices, Simone went to the Paris sector Chief Etienne Garard's office. "I told you about Mr. O'Brien. The FBI as well as numerous American Fortune 500 companies have used his security system with exceptional results. He has already formulated a program specific to our needs, but wants to look over the present problems we are experiencing."
Chief Garard looked through his office window at Walter sitting in the reception area. "You expect the entire computer system to just be handed over to this American?"
Simone shook her head. "For years this IRISHMAN has worked with America's Department of Homeland Security prior to and after obtaining his American citizenship. His nationality is immaterial, his computer mastery is what can make our system secure. Mr. O'Brien is a mathematician and computer genius- you going to ignore the Homeland Security and FBI recommending him because he is an American?"
"OK, Simone, OK." He said. "The system is so messed up he certainly can't make it any worse no matter what he does."
"Put it in writing- make out a work order and sign it. Once he does his magic you can bask in the applause." The sector chief printed out the work order and signed it, authorizing O'Brien to have access to the entire Paris sector's computer center. He then handed the paperwork to Simone who looked it over and left the office to join Walter in the reception area.
"Was there a problem?" Walter asked. "Voices got raised but I could not make anything out. My French is very rusty and is pretty much limited to casual conversation and restaurant orders."
"No, no problem, just typical upper management bull-headedness." She replied. "Let's go to the servers and see what you can do."
Simone led the way walking through the large complex to get to the large air-conditioned server facility. Walter's eyes lit up when he walked through the door to the humming of all the cooling fans. Simone smiled seeing it. "Feeling at home, Walter?"
"Just a larger version of the cellar under the garage. But, yes, this is what some people have said is my 'family', computers all, the brothers and sisters I can easily talk to, unlike humans."
Simone gave the work order to the closest of the three techs at the main center console, he scanned it and passed it on to the other two. They all looked at Walter and started to get up from their seats but Walter signaled for them to remain. "Tell them they can remain working or monitoring the system I just need an entry point to hook into." He pulled his laptop from its case and set it on the end of the workbench and plugged into a port. He pulled up a chair that was at the end and sat down. "Any coffee available here?" Then looked to his screen and started searching the system. An hour later, one of the techs sat back as his system was under Walter's command- screen flashed faster that he could follow. Fifty minutes later the second tech experienced the same- system taken over and flashing screens and lines of code scrolling past. An hour twenty-three minutes later the third tech sat back having no control of his unit. Walter was totally focused going through everything, screens flashing swiftly, countless lines of code scrolling faster than one could think possible to be read- he was one with the machinery and they were telling him everything he needed to know.
A total of six hours thirty-seven minutes and he sat back with the seventh cup of coffee Simone had brought in. "Done communing with your relatives, Walter?" she said smiling.
"Yes, I have a very sick family, but now know where to perform surgery or spiritually excise the demons to make it all better. I will give a more in depth report over dinner," Walter said smiling. He drained his coffee and got up. Disconnected his laptop and put it in its case. "Shall we get something to eat? Later tonight when the system is least in use, I will get to work and clean it up, do some surgery to remove some malware, some restoration, a bit of antitoxin to enhance the remedy, load my program restart and get everything up and running again…. sound like a plan?"
"Whatever you say, you are the guru, after all. What are you in the mood for? There is a very good seafood place not far from here if you would like to walk after sitting so long."
Walking out of the Interpol offices to go to the restaurant she glanced at him a few times but he seemed perfectly fine after hours of such focused computer work. An incredibly complex personality, indeed, she thought.
"So what did you want to report?" she asked once they were on the street. "Find some porn or gambling activity?"
"No, well, a bit of that, but you have some suspect 'open doors' to the outside. I am sorry to say this, but it appears some people in your organization don't have its best interest in mind. Deliberately allowing malware in. I saw evidence in passing, but did not pursue so as not to alert whomever it is."
"Some of the techs working on the issues have said the same thing. The system was too easily overtaken in such a short period of time. The issues are beyond the usual phishing or the accidental opening of a link." Simone related. "Can you figure out the locations of the computers of suspected deliberate issues to possibly pinpoint the person responsible?"
"I could, but the way the malware is set up, they would see my probing and be alerted….. I figure it is best to know and just shut things down, put my security program in place and stop it in its tracks. That is the best move at this time…. In my opinion. I deal with the machinery, you catch the baddies."
They entered the restaurant. The walls were adorned with fresh and salt water aquariums. Simone was obviously well known by the staff as she was greeted warmly and shown to a private table in the back of the restaurant. The conversation in French between Simone and the staff was fast. She told them she had been in America on business and brought back a souvenir and pointed to Walter. There was much laughter and a couple appreciative looks at him.
"I didn't get much of that, but 'souvenir from America'? You know the one young lady is still looking my way quite often."
Simone laughed, "as long as they do not know why you are really here the better. If it is looking like even my fellow agents can't be trusted….. I come in here often so best to be careful. The stuffed flounder here is excellent, by the way."
Their orders were taken and Walter was still being eyed by a couple of the staff with a giggle once in a while.
"It is unfortunate you cannot identify the questionable personnel, but shutting things down may flush them out in time." Simone said. "Just hate that I can't trust fellow agents." She sat back and looked over the restaurant. But all seemed as per usual so she relaxed. "Have your American law enforcement agencies had much trouble with the Eastern Bloc tech farms like we are experiencing?"
"You will have to contact Homeland and the FBI for that information, but I can tell you my bank account is quite comfortable thanks to the Fortune 500 companies that have my security systems in place- especially those in the financial sector- they are maniacal when it comes to security."
"Over here for the most part they seem to be behind the curve and it is hard to catch up, much less get ahead of it all. The financial drain is tremendous. The problem, as you mentioned with Interpol, is the infiltration of personnel working against us is the blind spot too many chose to ignore."
"You do realize when the new security, those firewalls and protocols are in place it will cause quite an uproar in those criminal ranks. There very well may be reprisals." Walter commented, "think of the Mexican cartels and their reprisals against politicians and reporters who try and thwart their income and power."
"Come on, Walter, this is civilized France, not the wild, wild crazies of Mexico."
"As long as you are aware, Simone."
"Walter, why do you think this vantage point is my 'usual' table? We have a few hours before it is time for you to 'reconnect' with your machinery. Shall we return to my place and relax before your work stats?"
"Relax?"
"Yes, I would like to toy with my souvenir for a while." Simone said with a direct stare and small smile.
"I am all yours." Walter said rising to leave.
"It is time we headed back to the office," Simone said raising her head from Walter's shoulder to give him a kiss. "Are you relaxed enough for a long night's work? How long do you think this will take?"
"From what I saw earlier today about three hours to perform the necessary 'surgery' and system clean up, about an hour to download my program , maybe an hour to go through everything to ensure a clean system, then good to go….. barring any unforeseen issues. Then we can return here so you can play with your souvenir as long as you want," Walter said kissing her temple and they got up to dress and leave.